Sean Brendan Groeber

Hello New Baby!

2009-11-23T18:03:00.000-08:00

People often note how much Sean looks like me. If there is any doubt that our next baby will favor Cody in appearance...

Look at these long skinny legs! Just like dad!

New Baby Groeber says hi to the world! and says "i'm only this big."

We were so happy to "meet" you today new baby!

By the way, if you want to know the gender of New Baby, just ask Sean. Cody and I told him tonight and he's free to tell anyone he wants!

A thought about tables.

2009-11-22T10:31:00.001-08:00

The kitchen table in our home (see above) is the same kitchen table my parents bought in 1984 (presumably when they moved to Michigan from Connecticut?). It is simple wood with benches instead of chairs around it. It is distinct in its simplicity. My childhood friends can probably picture it perfectly right now. It is and was the site of all our family meals and countless projects over the years (including the one cody and dad are doing in the picture from last year). It is the same table at which I struggled over times-tables in 3rd grade, the same table at which Defne, Megan and I planned our prom dates in high school, the same table at which many long conversations about college, friends, and future families lasted well into the late night/early morning hours after a dip in my mom's hot tub. I have a picture on our current refridgerator of me grumpily and sleepily eating a huge bowl of cereal in my pajamas at that table when I was about 3 or 4 years old. Some things around the kitchen table haven't changed much. But, it dawned on me today as I sat down at the table to prepare some direct examinations for my first trial that the table has come a long way with me from my first times-tables. Just a thought on this Sunday afternoon.

Toddler Fashion

2009-11-20T18:18:00.000-08:00

I have a turtle embroidered on my sweater!

The full ensemb, including matching Baby Legs and Puppy Dog shoes.

Strike a pose.

P.S., Thanks to our cousin Joseph for the sweet little-boy clothes Sean is just growing into!

Saturday Morning Treats....

2009-11-15T17:59:00.000-08:00

cinnamon rolls, coffee (or milk), and reading the paper.

Sick Day

2009-11-15T17:54:00.000-08:00

Last week Sean had his first little bug and I stayed home from work with him one day at the height of his stuffed-up misery. Our day was spent cuddling and laying around... he wasn't even interested in his toys. It was nice to hold a tired little baby for a few hours though.

While sick Sean got two treats -- juice, which he never has, but was good for keeping him hydrated, and

watching Curious George on video (usually he only catches it on PBS once a day).

Even More Halloween Fun

2009-11-03T12:14:00.000-08:00

The baker meets the fairy princess Evelyn (So far Evelyn is SB's only friend who will be in the same grade as him when they grow up. She is precious and Sean loves squeeling with her).

A bunny, a dinosaur, a baker and an Elephant... but wait, there's more...

a lady bug and a princess!

Sean thought about being an old man for Halloween. Maybe next year.

First Trick or Treating

2009-11-01T06:30:00.000-08:00

These pics are a little out of of order, but you'll get the idea:

Mr. Ed, our neighbor, welcoming Sean to his first Trick or Treat.

The two Baker's Men getting ready

Walking over to the neighbor's house

(we only made it to one house before the little baker was distracted by his bowl and spoon, the grass, dogs barking, leaves, etc.)

Sean being gentle to the bun in the oven :)

Not a Halloween costume. Just daily wear around the house lately.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T15:09:00.001-07:00

can you tell what we are? More pictures to come later...

From a few weeks ago...

2009-10-28T17:15:00.000-07:00

... but totally irresistable

A Cat!

2009-10-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

In a bookstore? Yes, our friend Jonathan and Lauren own a great used book store called Blue Bicycle Books, in which lives a real cat. Sean has been to the bookstore many times, but the last time or two has become intensely interested in the cat. Enjoy:

After a long search by Sean, dad finally found the cat among a table of books.

"I wonder how close I can get..."

This isn't a great picture of it, but Sean practiced his sign for "cat" which is like pulling whiskers off your cheeks. Over and over he pulled his whiskers at the cat.

For a while sean stood post at the front door of the store and (urgently) told every customer there was a cat back there. Of course, he told them in baby sign language, so most just gave him a "that's cute" nod and continued on.

"Now I will stalk the cat in another room by staring at it from this orange chair."

"I bet the cat wants to see my belly button. Darn these overalls."

Making Good on the Name...

2009-10-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

of this blog:

That's right, its time for Groeber kid #2! We are very excited (and sick)-- looking forward to April, 2010 when Sean becomes a big brother :)

Waking a Sleeping Bear

2009-10-03T16:50:00.000-07:00

Like Lazarus, our camera came back to life. its just a little sick. It turns off when I try to zoom or use the flash too much. So, i'll work with what i have for now. In the meantime here are some cute shots of waking SB up from his nap last week. Waking a baby up from a nap might be my favorite thing about being a mom. I hope these pics do the cuteness justice:

sleeping bear dune with his bum in the air...

"ehhhhhhhh" is Sean's usual wake-up greeting

Now I will stretch my legs before I get up.

sweetness.

R.I.P....

2009-09-08T06:36:00.000-07:00

Our camera has died! Which means updates on the blog will be limited until we acquire a new one :(. I will try to sprinkle some more pics of our summer here and there, but none will be very current! Any suggestions on a new camera?

Chatting with Friends

2009-09-02T17:55:00.001-07:00

New Nickname

2009-08-30T06:10:00.000-07:00

Our latest nickname for Sean has been "Sponge Bob Square-Mouth." Enjoy:

O' Captain, My Captain

2009-08-25T17:47:00.000-07:00

Some precious shots from SB's first tour of Lake Ontario

I Promise

2009-08-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

to post new material soon! We have been busy travelling and beach-going for the last month, and it has been great, except for the crushing amount of laundry now facing us at home! As soon as I get a few minutes of downtime I will share some of Sean's cuter vacation moments.

In the meantime, Sean has fully learned how to walk-- it is now his preferred mode of transportation, and couldn't be cuter. He has also mastered "ma-ma!" which makes me very happy. He has a few new words like "ay-ya" for his stuffed elephant "Oli," but still prefers to talk about babies. He has strung together two words for "baba jsjs" (baby-jesus), which he says constantly as he carries around a ceramic holy water font of the Holy Family. The other night he tried to cuddle with the Holy Family, but being ceramic and a holy water font, he realized it wan't too comfortable. He listens to directions really well and understands a lot of what Cody and I say to him. Its really amazing to watch him grow and understand things. I will visually update you soon!

More Birthday Goodness

2009-07-21T16:55:00.000-07:00

Is that all for me? No, really, you shouldn't have...

Well, okay, you should have....

Oh, that was delicious...

I like being one! yea!!!!!!

Expanding Vocabulary, pt II

2009-07-16T13:04:00.000-07:00

Erin: Sean, are you the best boy who ever lived?
Sean: Dad.

Oh, the wisdom of babes :).

Watch Out Federer...

2009-07-14T18:23:00.000-07:00

My mom, a tennis nut, has relentlessly tried my entire life to get me to play tennis. When I was in first grade she put my hair in a ponytail because she said I looked like Jennifer Capriotti. When I was in third grade she bought me adorable tennis outfits to encourage me to like tennis lessons. Throughout high school and college whenever I had an injury or complaint about soccer or volleyball I would hear "you know, if you played tennis...." Even now, while watching Wimbeldon or another grand slam (I do enjoy watching these, likely from the inculcation that July 4th weekend means Wimbeldon finals as a child) she often wistfully thinks out loud, "with your height, you could have had a great serve..." The great dissapointment of my mother's life is that I never took up tennis.

This past weekend in Michigan there was a tennis court around the corner from the house which provided hours of entertainment for our family. One day I noticed a kid-sized tennis raquet by the front door, and by kid-sized, I mean for an 8 or 10 year old. Ever the optimist, my mom explained, "well, I just thought Sean could get used to the feeling of holding a raquet in his hand." Here you go, mom-- you can start the pro-tennis dream all over again for the new generation!:

P.S. Thanks to Paul and Gretchen and Sean's babyfriend Greta for the special birthday puppy-dog shoes, which combine two of Sean's favorite things to talk about: Wuf-Wufs and Sh-s.

All American Baby

2009-07-14T18:00:00.000-07:00

Here is our proudly patriotic baby on July 4th during our recent trip to Pentwater, MI. We had a great time with my mom, Denise, Sandy, Mike, Eva and Gaia and a bunch of Denise's friends. 0% humidity, 70 degrees and sunny... what a welcome change from charleston this time of year.

Expanding Vocabulary

2009-07-14T08:58:00.001-07:00

The other morning a sleepy and cuddly Sean laid with us and practiced his entire vocabulary:

Sean: Dad?
Cody: Yes?
Sean: Dad?
Cody: Yes?
Sean: Dad?
Cody: Yes?

Sean: Hat. Hat. Hat. Hat.

Sean: Baby. Baby. Baby. Baby.

Sean says Dad (more like "Dadt!!!") about 10,000 times a day, and he recently picked up the sign for it too, which is super cute. Still not even a hint of a "mom", "mama", "ma" ...nothing.

Big Boy

2009-07-10T13:30:00.001-07:00

Just in from our 1-year appointment, and our baby-giant continues to amaze us. Sean's stats at 12 mo:

24lb: 75 percentile;
32 in.: off the chart.

Way to go baby!

Dance Lessons

2009-07-09T16:29:00.000-07:00

Yes, that is Maroon 5, and no, I have not downloaded any new music onto our Ipod since 2005.